What to Do When You Spill Your Guts, and Nobody Cares

Here are some ideas that can help fix that

Photo by Artem Bryzgalov on Unsplash

If you read a lot of “how to make it on Medium” stories like I do, you’ll notice frequent references to great writers “opening a vein” or “leaving a piece of themselves on the page.” So what happens when you do that, and nobody cares? You need to figure out why and fix it. Here are a few things to think about when you analyze why your story didn’t resonate with others.

At first, you’re a little hurt. “Maybe my guts aren’t good enough,” you think. “Perhaps I don’t have it in me to be a great writer.” Although that’s entirely possible, that might not be the problem.

Ryan Fan urges writers to show their humanity. Michael Leonard says vulnerability is a superpower. To be a successful writer, according to Matt Lilywhite, you have to share your personal experience.

Well, I’ve done it, tears streaming down my cheeks as I write, my life’s blood pouring out of me, and guess what? The stories just sit there. Almost nobody reads them. Is my pain so ordinary?

I’ve been writing and publishing on Medium for several months now, and I’ve done pretty well with certain kinds of stories. But when I open up and share honestly my personal and sometimes painful experiences, I just can’t seem to attract…